Automatic canal system.



. woon'.

A M. M v V AUToMATm CANAL mum; APPLIOATION FILEDJULIN; m1.

ivi. M. womf AUTOMATIO GANAL 7SYSTEM. A. lAPPLIOAIIQN FILED JUIY 1.7', 1911. y, 1,037,396. l Patented sept. 3, 1912.

o SHIRTS-snm a.'

FJ K3 l?? Weiz-fw M. M. Woon.` AUTOMATIG CANAL SYSTEM APPLICATION FILED JULY 17, 1911 1,037,396, p iPatented sept. 3,1912.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3` aw Q/ zg MMM/MM M.- M. WOOD.

AUTOMATIC CANAL SYSTEM. APPLIOATION FILED JULY 17, 1911.

1,037,396. Patented sept.3,1912.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

M. M. WOOD.

- AUTQMATIC CANAL SYSTEM.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 17, 1911.

Patented Sept. 3,1912.

e SHEETS-SHEET 5.

I M. M. WOOD.

AUTOMATIC CANAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JOLY 17, 1911.

Patented Sept. 3, 1912.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

I/ iw UNITED sTATns ,PATENT onirica.

IVIONTRAVILLE M. WOODR OIF BERWYN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO LOUIS 'E. MYERS, 0F

i CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented sept. 3, i912.

Application filed July 17, 1911. Serial No. 638,968.

To all whoa?, it may concern .j

Be it known that I, MoNTnAvILLE M.

lVoon, a citizen of the United States, residwill enable others skilled in the art to which y it pertains to make and use the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a partof this specilication. The object of my invent-ion is to produce a iiiiniature canal system in which boats will travel along the canal and pass through locks in the same in, a realistic manner.

The various features of novelty whereby iny invention is characterized will hereinafter be point-ed out with particularit-y in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its object and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a system arranged in accordance with a preferred form y of my invention, the ends o-f the canal and one of locks being illustrated and the remainder of the canal being broken away; Fig. 2 is a plan view on an enlarged sca-le of the upper lock in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section approximately on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4-is a transverse section on line 4.--4 of'Fig. 2.; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the lhwer lock in Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 6 is a central longitudinal'section approximately on line 66 of Fig. 5.

The system which I have illustrated coinprises a canal having separate locks for the `two directions of travel, the boats traveling a; boat approaches, the water level in the locks will rise `or fall to the level of the outlet side of the lock, and then the outlet gates will open and perinit the boat to nass out of the lock. In the drawings I have illustrated only enough of my system to make its operation clear, it being of course understood that the number and the location of the locks is a matter of choice, as is also the specific arrangement of the terminals of the canal.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a canal as a whole, Q a high level and 3 a low level.

4 and 5 are the ends or terminals of the canal and these may take any suitable form so as to have the appearance of a harbor, bay or gulf. In the bottoni of the canal is an endless track G on which the miniature boats are adapted to run, the tracks being submerged so that the boats traveling along the saine will have the appearance of floating.

7 and 8 are two locks, one of which is adapted to permit boats to pass from the high level to the low level while the other permits passage in the opposite direction. The lock 7 has gates 9 and 10 at its ends while the other lock has similar sets of-gates 11 and 12. The gates of the lock 8 may be opened by direct Contact with a boat while some means must he provided for opening the gates of the other lock in advance of the boats. All of the gates may be closed automatically by any suitable means such as weight-s 13 which are hung on the ends of cables 14 connected with the gates. When the gates are opened the weights are lifted and thereafter, when the gates are otherwise free, the weights descend and swing the gates into their closed positions. The two gates at each end of the lock '7 are connected together in any suitable way as, for example,

by means of sprocket chains 15 and 16 so that thev will move in unison with each other. One of the gates of the set 9 has a sprocket wheel 17 surrounding its pivotal axis, and a chain 18 'passes around this wheel and around another wheel 19 at a suitable distance in advance of the gates. The sprocket wheel 19 has a pinion 20 secured thereto. Each of the boats 21 has at one side thereof a rack 22 which is so located that it will engage with the pinion 20 as the bont approaches the lock 7, turning the pinioii and causing the gates 9 to open. The gates 10 at. the back end of the lock 7 are' controlled in the saine manner, a sprocket'r chain 23 passing over a sprocket, wheel secured to one of the gates and gver .a1

vters and then causing the lock to sprocket Wheel 25 arranged at a. suitable distance in advance of the gates; the sprocket wheel 25 having secured thereto a pinion 26 similar to the pinion 20. Consequently a boat passing through the lock will turn the pinion 26 and will cause the gates l0 to open so as to let the boat move out of the lock.

It is necessary to produce a change in the height of the water in the lock so as to permit the boat to enter the lock at one-level and leave at a different level. To this end I have provided means under the control of a boat for automatically lowering the level of the water in the locl when the boat enfill again after the boat has departed., This may conveniently be accomplished by connecting the lock with theu side orhigh level of the canal by means ofP suitable valve 28, and providing a similar conduit 29 between the lockl and the low side; the conduit 29 having a valve 30 similar to the valve 28. The details of the valves are not illustrated -ssince an ordinary form of. valve, preferably that of the butterfly typen may be employed. Each of the valves is connected to a vertical driving shaft 3l arranged within the lock at the Vside of the path of travel ofboats passing through the lock, this being suitably accomplished by means of sprocket chain connections 32 and Secured to the shaft 3l is a long pinion 34, the axial length of the pinion being at least as great as the difference between the water levelsfon the high'` and low sides of the canal. Each boat is provided with two racks 35-and 36,A the one preferably being located near the front end of the boat and the other near the rear end, and the arrangement being such that these racks will successively engage with the pinion 34 as the boat enters .mto and passes through theloclr. 4Normally thevalve 28 is open and the valve 30 closed so as to keep the water level in the lock the same as on the upside of the canal.v 1When' the boat enters the lock the rack 35 engages with the pinion and shifts the two valves just as th gates close behind the boat. Consequently communication is openedbet-wecu the low level of the canal and the lock and communication between the high level and the lock is closed. The water now flows out of the lock until'the level of the downside of the canal is reached and `then as the boatvstarts forward again the valves are' once more shifted sothat the lock will become filled so'as to bring the Water' to the high level and be in condition for the reception of another boat. t

An appreciable time must be allowed for the emptying o'f' the lock after a boat has 4entered it and therefore some means must be provided `for arrestin t the .progress ot the boat while the water 1n the lock is low-l a conduit 27 having a' the arm and the other backward. The 7.5

fingers 40 and 4l are preferably spaced apart transversely of the boat as will be seen most clearly in Fig. 2. A'stop 42 proliects up from the bottom of. the canal in position to engage with the underside of the finger 41 as the boatpasses through the gates, causing the finger to be lifted and the switch to be opened. The momentum of the. boat and the pressure of the gates against the rear thereof is sufficient to carry the boatcompletely into the lock and to effect the shifting .of the valves 28 and 30.y However, the momentum of the boat is insuliicient to carry it beyond the point neces'- sary to complete the shifting of the valves and therefore the boat comes to rest in the lock and cannot proceed again until the motor circuit is again closed. The 'closingl ot' the motor circuit is effected by means ot' a second stop, 43 ,projecting up from the bottom of the lock in the proper position for engaging with the yunderside of tv he finger 40 when the water in the lock reaches lthe same level as that shown on the downside of the canal, and cause the controlling switch to be thrown back into its closed position. The boat now starts to move and causes thegates 10 to be opened and the .valves to be shifted in the manner heretofore described.

I prefer to provide means for switching the boats positively from the tracks on one side nf the lock to those on the other so as to prevent the boa s from accidentally getting oft' the tracks as they pass through the lock. This Ama conveniently be accomlished by placing` in the lock a floating rack sect-ion 44 which rises and falls with. the water in the lock so as to be in the plane of the tracks in the highest level when a boat enters the lock and in the plane of the tracks in the lower level at the .time the boat passes out of the lock. The' floating' track section may be guided by rods or plnngers 45 which extend downward into wells 46 in the bottom of the'lock and thus preventthe movable section from coming out 'of alinement with the stationary tracks.

'The `descending boats in the locks may be steadied by making the pinion 2Q elongated so as to be similar to the pinion 34.

With this arrangement the racks 22 and 35 will engage respectively with the pinions 26 and 34 and will remain in mesh therewith .whenever a boat descends, in the lock.

After a boat passes through the lock 7 it travels toward the left, as'viewed in Fig. l, circles around the harbor or terminal 5, and then returns through the canal-in the opposite vdirection from that in which it .passes through the lock. When the lock 8 is reached, the boat enters it automatically, is lifted, and then passes out into the high level. The height ofthe water in the l ck 8 is controlled in the sarne way s in the other lock; the lock` being connected with the high level, 2, by a conduit and with the low level by a conduit 5-1.

52 and 53 are valves in the conduits 50 and 5l, these Valves being similar to the valves 28 and 30 in the other lock. Driving connections 54 and 55 between an elongated upright pinion 5o and the valves 52 and 53, respectively, permit the valves to be opened and`v closed by a passing boat. In th-is instance the valve 53 is normally open and the valve 52 normally closed, thus maintaining the water in the lock normally 4at the saine level as on the low side of the canal and Ikeeping the lock ready to receive boats approaching from the low side of the canal.

The lock 8 contains a oating track scction 57 similar to the section 44 in the other lock. rlhe gates of the ylock 8 are so arranged that they may be pushed open through direct contact with a boat and therefore the opening-gearing employed iii the other lock may be omitted. A Somewhat different arrangement is required for opening and closing the controlling switch on the boat in connection with this lock than thatA employed at the other lock because the ver-- tical movement of a -boat in one lock is the opposite from that in the other lock. In-

the arrangement shown, (see Figs. 5 and 6) the controlling stops for the switch are carried by the boating track, there being a transverse oscillatory shaftI 58 having arms 59 and 60 projecting ,therefrom in opposite directions lengthwise of the track. The member 59 is normally in position to engage with the underside of the finger 4l on' the boat so as to lift the same and throwthe switch open 'when the boat enters the lock, thus arresting the progress of the boat. The member GO is normally held out of operative relation to the finger' 4l by a spring 6l.

Vilhcn water' enters the lock and the `track section 57 rises, a stop 62 on the lower end,

or chain 63 secured at its upperV of a cable end to an arm (54 on the shaft 58, engages with a stationary shoulder or abut-nient 65' and oscillates the shaft so as to throw the arm 60 against the iinger 41 and thus close the controlling switch when the boat is at the proper level to pass out of the lock.

The operation atsthe lock is as follows: A boat traveling along the lowl level of the canal toward the lock strikes the gates 12 and passes into the lock. As the gates close4 behind the boat the rack 35 operates the valves so as to let water ow into the lock from the high level. Before the boat reaches the gates l1 the motor switch is opened and the boat arrested. As the water in lock rises the oating track section and the boat also rise and, when the Heating track section has reached the plaire of the track in the high level, the motor switch is automatically closed and the boat starts forward. The gates ll are pushed open by the boatand, just before the boat passes entirely out of the lock, the rack 36 operates the lock valves, placing the lock in communication with the low level and shuttirg on' communication through the conduit 50 with the high level. The gates ll close automatically behind the boat and the lock empties itself so as to permit-another boat to run into it from the low level. The boat, after leaving the lock, travels along the canal, around the harbor or terminal 4, and then back through the canal to the down lock 7, through which it passes in the manner previously described. Thus it will be seen that any desired number of boat-s may run continuously back and forth through the canal, operating the locks automatically as they are reached.

VVlii'le I have illustrated and `described only a single preferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the particular structural details thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which fall within the terms employed in the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims;

I claim:

l. A canal having different levels therein, a lock between adjacent levels, means for connecting the lock with either of the adj acent levels, and a controlling device for the lsjaid means inposition to be actuated by a 2. A canal having different levels therein, a lock between adjacent levels, a connection including a. valve between the lock and one of the adjacent levels. and controlling means for the valve in position to be actuated by a boat.

3. A canal having different levels therein, a lock between adjacent levels, a connection ,having a valve arranged between the higher level and the lock, and valve operating means arranged in position to be actuated by a boa-t passing from the lock to the lower level.

4. A canal having different levels therein,

-a lock 'between adjacent levels, a connection having a valve arranged between the lower level \and the lock, and valve-operating means arranged in position to be actuated by a boat passing into the lock frin the lower level.

5. A canal having dilferent levels therein, a lock between adjacent levels, a connection including a valve between the lock and the higher level, means controlled by a boat entering the lock for causing the water to re'- eede to the lower level, and actuating means 5 t'or said valve arranged in position to be operated by a boat moving in the loch at the lower level.

6. A canal having different levels therein, a lock between adjacent levels, a connection l@ including a valve from the lock to the lower level, means controlled by a boat. entering the lock for causing the water to rise to the higher level, and actuating means for said valve arranged in position to be operated 1j; by a boat moving in the lock at. the higher level.

7. A canal having different levels therein, a lock between adjacent levels having gates at its ends, 'controlling means for the gates arranged to be actuated by a moving boat approaching the lock and moving through the same, means controlled by thc boat `for causing the height ofthe` Water in the lock to vary 'from one level to the other and then back again, and means for causing the progress of the boat to be arrested during the time it is moving in the vertical direction in the lock., f

8. A canal having differentlcvcls therein,

a. lock between adjacent levels having gates at its ends, controlling means for the gatesy arranged to be actuated by a moving boat 'approaching the lool: and moving through the same, fmeanscontrolled by the boat for causing the Water levelin the lock to change,

and means for causing the` progress of thel boat to be.arrested during the time it is moving in the vertical direction in the lock.

9. In combination, a canal havingl differ- 40 ent levels, a lock between adjacent levels provided with gates at its ends, a boat arranged to travel through said lock, mfeans-for causing the Water in the lock to rise and fall from one level-to the other, gate actuating means, and devices on said boat for operating both of the aforesaid means.

1.0. In combination, a canal having' ditl'erent levels. a lock between adjacent levels, a power boat arranged to travel in said canal, and controllingdevices constructed and arranged to stop the boat when it enters the lock at ont level and then startthe boat again when the water in the lock reaches the other level.

11. ln combination, a canal having ditl'erent levels, a. lock between adjacent levels, a power boat arranged to travel in said canal, boatactuated means for controlling the height ot' the water in the lock, and controlling;r devices constructed and arranged to stop the boat when it enters the lock at one level and to start the boat again when the water in the loelcreaches the other level.

12. In combination, a canal having 4sliderent levels, a lock. between adjacent levels provided with gates at its ends, and actuating means for said ates so located as to be successively operated byaboat to open one of the gates .when the boat approaches the lock and then to open the other gate to -permit the boat to pass out of the lock.

13. In combination, a canal having different levels, a lock between adjacent levels provided with gates at its ends,'boat-controlled means for automatically opening said gates when a boat approaches them in entering the lock and in passing out of the lock, and boat-controlled. means foirautoinatically varying the height of the water in the lock from one level to the other and back again.

14. ln combination, a canal having different levels, a loclt between adjacent levels; j. means tor connectingsaid lock 'with either of said levels. a device including a pinion 85 for controllingsaid means, a boat arranged to travel in said canal, and separated rack members on said boat in position to engage successively with said pinion when the boat enters into and passes through the lock.

15. In combination, a canal having dilerent levels therein, a lock between adjacent levels, gates at the ends of said lock, actuating means for said gates includin' 'a pinion arranged outside of the locll: and7 a pinion 95 within the locl'c, a boat arranged to travel through said canal, and a rack on said boat in position to engage with said pinions siiccessively as the boat enters the lock and moves through the saine.

16. ln combination, a canal. having different levels therein, a lock between adjacent levels, gates at the ends of said lock, actuating means for saidgates -includinv a pinion arranged outside of the lock and,A a pinion within the lock, a boat arranged to travel through said canal, a rack on said boat in position to engage with said pinions successively as the boat enters the lock and moves through the same, means including a 11 pinion located within the lock for connecting the lock with either of said levels, and separated racks on the boat in positionv to engage successively with the latter pinion as the boatentersthe lock passes out of the saine.

17. In combination, a. canal, having different levels, a lock between said levels, a track extending longitudinally through the canal, and a floating` track section within the lock, said floating section being constructed and arranged to form a continuation of the track iif the higher level when the height ot the water in the lock is the saine as that in the higher level and to form a continuation of 125 the track in thelower level when the hei ht of the water in the lock is the saine as tiat in *he lower level. 18. ln combination, a canal havingfdiflerent levels, a lock between adjacentf'levels l provided with arranged to travel through said gates at its ends, a power boat canal, means for causingl the water in the lock to rise and fall from olie level to the other, gate actuating means, devices on said boat foroperating both of the aforesaid means, a controller for v the boat, means for actuating the controller 'to stop the boat`vvhen the boat enters the lock, and means for actuating the controller to start the boat when the water in the lock reaches the level on the outlet side of the lock. f

M19. In combination, a dana-l having different levels, la lock betweeuadjacent levels, a power boat arranged to travel in said canal,controll ing devices constructed and arranged to stop ,the boat when it enters the klock at one level and t-hen'start the boat `again when the water in the lock reaches the other level, and means for automatically producing a vvariation in the level of the water in the lock lock.

20. In combination, a canal having different levels, a lock between adjacent levels, a

'Y power. boat arranged to travel in said canal,

means for automatically causing the water in the lock to go to the level on the outletside of the lock when the boat enters the lock, and controlling devices constructed and arranged to stop the bpat when it enters the lock atone level and to start theboat again vheln the Water in the lock reaches the other Aeve 2l. In combination, a canal having different levels, a lock between adjacent levels provided withgates atits ends, a power boat running in said canal, actuating means for said gates arranged to open them automatically when a boat approaches to within a predetermined distance therefrom, means for automatically closing the gates, means for automatically stopping the boat when it enters the lock,. means for automatically bringing the waterY in the lock to the level of the canal on the outlet side of the lock when the boat enters the lock, and means for automatically starting the boat when the water in the lock is at the same level as in the canal-on the outlet side of the lock.

22.' In combination, a canal having difterent levels, a lock between adjacent levels rowhen the boat enters 'therunning in said canal, boat-controlled means for automatically opening said gates when a boat approaches them in entering the lock and passing outof the lock, boat-controlled means for automatically varying the height of the water in the lock from one level to the other and back again, andimeans for arresting the progressof the boat during the change of the Awater in the lock from one level to the other.

23. In combination, ent levels therein, a lock between adjacent levels, gates at the ends of said lock, actuating' means for said gates includ-ing a pinion arranged outside or the lock and a pinion Within the lock, a boat arranged to travel through said4 canal, a rack on said boat in position to engag sively as the boat enters the lock and moves through the same, valved conduits for connecting the lock with either of said levelsf a pinion in hey lock for Iactuating said valves, and se position to engage successively with the latter pinion as the boat enters the lock and passes out of the same.

24;'In combination, a canal having diii'erentvlevels, a lock between said levels, a track extending longitudinally through the canal, a floating track section within the lock, said floating section being constructed 'and arranged toorm a continuation of: the track in the higher level when the height of the water ln the lockis the same as that in the higher i level the track in the lower level when the height of the water in the lock is the same as that in' the lower level, a power boat arranged to travel through the canal along said track, and means governed by said boat for operat* ing the lock. I

25. ln combination, a canal havgng a lock therein, a power boat running in said canal, and means controlled by the boat for automaticallyoperating the lock to permit the boat to pass therethrough. l lntestimony whereot',l,isign this speciiication inthe presence of two witnesses.v

'RUBY V. B RYDGES, x WM. F. FnnUnnNnnioH.

with said pinions succesarated racks on the boat-in' and to form a continuation of f 

